COLUMBUS – As the Ohio State Fair begins its 12-day run at the Expo Center on the North Side, visitors are being reminded to be wise consumers when they encounter those irresistible bargains on the midway or in the fair’s numerous commercial buildings.
The food, entertainment and rides grab much of the attention but there are approximately 300 commercial exhibitors at the fair, dealing in antiques, collectibles, handmade heritage crafts and diverse household products from knives to mattresses.
The Better Business Bureau says 78 percent of the fair’s guests will visit vendors and those buyers need to beware: The business they purchase from will be gone on August 6 so consumers need to remember the same day-to-day rules that apply to any other businesses should also be in effect at the fair with some additional wrinkles.
First, do your research. The BBB’s Business Profiles are available any time for free, says Kip Morse, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio.
He says it’s important to remember that the Federal Trade Commission’s “cooling-off rule,” which normally allows consumers three days to cancel a purchase, does not apply to some purchases at fairs: Purchases under $25; goods or services not primarily intended for personal, family, or household purposes; insurance, securities, or real estate; motor vehicles, or arts and crafts.
If you are making a purchase where the “cooling-off rule” does apply but you need to cancel a sale, Morese says you should ask for a copy of the company’s cancellation form when you make your purchase and sign and date the form. If you mail it back to the company, be sure it is postmarked before midnight of the third business day after you made the purchase.
Buyers should get the company’s refund and exchange policies in writing as well as its physical location and telephone number in case items need to be returned or exchanged, Morse said.
Don’t be pressured to buy and ask the vendor if a sale price will be honored after the fair so you will not feel as pressured to purchase the item on the spot.